Discover winter fun in Calgary, Alberta!
Winter is a wonderful time of year to play outside in Calgary. From ice skating and cross country skiing, to ZOOLIGHTS at the Calgary Zoo and skiing and snow tubing at Winsport, here are 15 ideas for winter family fun in Calgary:
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1. Explore the Ice Falls and Caves of Fish Creek Provincial Park
Visit Fish Creek Provincial Park in winter to see ice falls, ice caves, and an outdoor art gallery. The 2-storey ice falls are only 5-minutes from the parking lot! Allow time to visit the Artisan Garden, home to 175 sculptures; and dine at Bow Valley Ranche Restaurant (reservations recommended). See our story: The Ice Falls and Ice Caves of Fish Creek Park for more info.
2. Ice Skate at Calgary’s Best Outdoor Skating Rinks and Skating Tracks
Skate at Calgary’s Best Outdoor Skating Rinks! Olympic Plaza, Calgary’s only outdoor refrigerated ice, opens in late November, and the others are usually ready by Christmas, weather permitting. There are lots of skating tracks around the city too; try the ones at Bowness Park and North Glenmore Park!
Too cold to skate outside? Skate at the Olympic Oval, “Canada’s fastest ice” & where Olympic speed skaters train. Helmets mandatory; helmet and skate rentals are available.
3. Go Skiing, Snowboarding, or Snow Tubing at Winsport
Winsport is your place for winter fun! Tube, ski, and ice skate at this legacy Olympic venue! With 4 carpets, 2 chair lifts and a terrain park, there is fun for all boarders and skiers. They have night skiing, so you can get in a few runs after work! Lessons and rentals are available too.
Tubing at Winsport’s Acura Tube Park is tons of fun for adventurous kids aged 5 & up (and grown-ups!). Whoosh down a 200-metre long course in less than 30 seconds! We were clocked at over 50 kilometres per hour! 10 fun runs to choose from. Visit Winsport for tickets, and see our story for more information.
4. Go Tobogganing
For free fun, hit up a local toboggan hill. The City of Calgary has a list of official toboggan hills here. Always wear a helmet and be aware of your surroundings! For more safe sledding tips, see my story: Sledding Safety Tips.
5. Cross Country Ski – for free!
Kick and glide at a local golf course! Confederation, Shaganappi, and Maple Ridge Golf Courses are groomed for cross country skiing in the winter and there is NO charge, but donations are appreciated where local ski clubs groom the trail (Foothills Nordic Ski Club maintains Confederation and Shaganappi Nordic Operations maintains Shaganappi).
- During the month of December, you can ski through a Christmas lights display at Confederation Golf Course; go on a weeknight when it’s less busy.
- Enjoy live entertainment from ice carving to storytelling at the East Village Hygge Hut.
- Ski and ice skate at North Glenmore Park and Bowness Park. Both parks have groomed ski trails and skating tracks (you can ice skate at Bowness Lagoon too!).
Read Where to Cross Country Ski in Calgary for more groomed terrain near you!
See Choosing Cross Country Skis for information on the various types of skis available and what to look for when outfitting your family with nordic skis.
6. Go on a Winter Walk & Picnic
Rediscover your favorite urban hikes this season. Snow adds a sparkling white blanket to the landscape and it’s always fun to find ice falls! Bring ice cleats for traction, or snowshoes after a big dump of snow. Trails to explore:
- Nose Hill Park: Hike to the Medicine Wheel and “Airport Rocks”. You can see downtown from the 14th Street entrance too!
- Douglas Fir Trail, Edworthy Park: Note that part of the trail is closed due to slope instability. The trail to the lookout is still open though!
- Waterfall Valley, Bowmont Park: Stairs and a boardwalk lead to a lovely river viewpoint.
- Fish Creek Park’s Ice Falls and Caves
- Near Cochrane: Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park & Big Hill Springs Provincial Park
- South of Calgary: Brown-Lowery Provincial Park
Parks with fire pits: Bowness Park, Edworthy Park, Fish Creek Park, and North Glenmore Park have fire pits. Bring your own firewood (and don’t forget the roasting sticks)!
7. Calgary Zoo: ZOOLIGHTS, Penguin Walk, and more
Winter is a wonderful time of year to visit the Wilder Institute-Calgary Zoo. There are fewer visitors (except on special event days) and there are plenty of places to warm up indoors: check out penguin feeding time at Penguin Plunge; say hello to the giraffes, hippos, and meerkats in the African Savannah; visit the gorillas and mandrills at The TransAlta Rainforest; then take family photos in the Conservatory and get hot cocoa at Kitamba Café! Don’t forget to see the polar bears who just arrived in December 2023!
Special events at the zoo include the following:
- Zoolights, Calgary’s largest outdoor light display is on November 17th, 2023 – January 7th, 2024 (EXCEPT: November 28 & 30, December 25, and December 31st ) from 5 pm – 9 pm. For more holiday fun, see our story: Holiday Fun in Calgary & Area.
- Penguin Walk: January 13, 2024-mid March at 10:30 am; daily, weather permitting (must be below +5C and above -25C); look for the penguins outside Penguin Plunge
- Sunday Safari Brunch: Sundays from January 21, 2024 – March 24, 2024 at Safari Lodge. Choose from 3 seating times – 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., or 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. (note: the 3rd seating isn’t always available) – and enjoy the Belgian waffle bar, made to order omelets, eggs bennies with Canadian bacon, chocolate fountain, and more!
- See the Calgary Zoo Events Calendar for more!
8. Go to the theatre or ballet
A Christmas Carol takes over the stage at Theatre Calgary for the month of December. Watch Ebenezer Scrooge get visited by the ghosts of Christmases past, present, and future. Will he change his ways before it’s too late? Get tickets for A Christmas Carol and upcoming performances at Theatre Calgary | Season 2023/2024.
The Nutcracker by the Alberta Ballet is a visually stunning holiday classic. Since it has been around for so long (since 1892!), everyone will recognize some of the songs. Catch it in Calgary from December 15-24, 2023.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, based on the 1968 movie of the same name, is an adventurous family-friendly story with a flying car and colorful characters. Recommended for ages 6 & up. This Storybook Theatre production will be performed at Beddington Theatre Arts Centre from November 24 to December 30, 2023.
9. Discover cool landmarks around Calgary
From art installations to a Medicine Wheel, Calgary has some cool landmarks. For more information, see our story Landmarks to Look for in Calgary Parks.
10. Feed Thousands of Fish at Bow Habitat Station
Explore the Discovery Centre at Bow Habitat Station, feed 30,000 fish at the fish hatchery, then go snowshoeing in Pearce Estate Park! (Note: Fish feeding and snowshoe rentals are extra charge.) Read about our experience in: Fishy Fun at Bow Habitat Station and check the Events Schedule for special programming before you go.
February’s FISHtival features “interactive indoor and outdoor activities and games that explore all things fish.” Saturday, February 17, 2024; 9:30 AM to 4 PM. Purchase timed-entry tickets online before they sell out.
11. “Enjoy the magic of Christmas past” at Heritage Park’s Once Upon a Christmas
Kids will love the kids’ crafts, cookie decorating, story time, wagon ride, seeing Santa, and more at Heritage Park’s Once Upon a Christmas. Open from 10 am – 4 pm: Saturdays and Sundays, November 25 – December 17, 2023.
For more holiday fun, see our story: Holiday Fun in Calgary & Area.
12. Ring in the New Year at Olympic Plaza
The City of Calgary puts on a fun and free family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration at Olympic Plaza each year. Enjoy live performances, ice skating, light shows, dance parties downtown; then catch the midnight fireworks at Prince’s Island Park! Details at City of Calgary – New Year’s Eve.
13. Celebrate The Year of the Dragon (February 3-11, 2024)
Head to Chinatown for the Chinese New Year Festival for lion and dragon dances, games, food, and more! Visit the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre for the event schedule for February 3 & 4, 10 & 11, 2024.
14. Have Snow Much Fun at the Chinook Blast Festival (February 2 – February 19, 2024)
Chinook Blast is sure to warm your spirits “with a celebration of community, culture, and civic pride. The best of Calgary’s art, music, theatre, sport and recreation will be on display.” Plan to go at least twice in order to visit/see as many of the pop-up light and art installations, performances, outdoor sports, live music, and night markets as you can.
The majority of art installations/events are on Stephen Avenue and at Olympic Plaza, but there will be many more around the city. Special events during the festival include the following:
- The Four Winds Indigenous Showcase & Market: February 2, 3, & 4, 2024 at Municipal Complex Atrium.
- Exposure Fence by Exposure Photography Festival: February 2-19, 2024 at Olympic Plaza.
- Nitrocross: February 2-3, 2024 at GMC Stadium.
- Snow Rodeo FIS Snowboard Slopestyle and Halfpipe World Cups: February 8 – 17, 2024 at Winsport.
- Imaginasian Night Market: February 9-11, 2024 at City Hall Atrium.
- Block Heater Festival: This family friendly event brings the best folk, hip-hop and neo soul performers to 7 venues. February 15 – 17, 2024
- Market Collective: February 16 – 18, 2024 at City Hall Atrium.
There are free and ticketed events. See the Chinook Blast Events page for details.
15. More Winter Festivals
High Performance Rodeo: This “international festival of live art” runs from January 15 – February 4, 2024.
Big Winter Classic is a big winter party with live music! January 24-28, 2024.
YYC Hot Chocolate Festival is a friendly competition between local cafes and restaurants to see who makes the best hot chocolate. Try as many as you like and vote for your favorites while supporting Meals on Wheels. Last year, proceeds from participating businesses (look for the YYC Hot Chocolate Festival signature drink at each location) raised over $100,000 for the charity. February 1 – 29, 2024.
Ethnik Festival of Arts & Culture, part of Black History Month, celebrates local African and Caribbean communities with live entertainment featuring award-winning artists and local dance troupes, and a top chef cookoff (“Calgary Food War”). February 9 & 10, 2024 at the Telus Convention Centre. $25 for one event, $40 for all access both days. Seniors (over 60) and kids 12 & under are free.
We hope these fun activities and events help you make the most of winter!
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